Orientation to Rificolona

This is orientation week at I Tatti for Seth (though I think it continues into next week, too), so while he has been heading up the hill nice and early and putting in the long hours I have been trying to get a few things done in town. My online courses started yesterday so I got a nice early start on the readings, and I have also been putting the finishing touches on a paper. However, I have also been spending lots of time just walking around. It is always interesting but also a little disconcerting because even though I pass hundreds of people each time I go out I don't talk to anyone. Most people won't even give you a head nod or want to make eye contact. I haven't spoken to anyone besides Seth since I went to I Tatti last Friday, and I haven't held a conversation with anyone since the Tuesday before then. It is hard not being brave enough to initiate a conversation with someone in a different language, and even if someone does say a word or two to me in passing I can't understand them anyway. Maybe if I listen to enough Italian pop radio and watch enough Playhouse Disney when I stretch I might magically get better. Even if I don't, at least I have Lorenzo and Handy Manny.

Two side-projects this week: Figuring out what the heck this is...

...and discovering the best way to prepare buffalo milk mozzarella

Tuesday night the city celebrated Rificolona, a traditional Florentine holiday that mixes the secular with the religious and coincides with the Nativity of the Virgin (Sept 8). It involves colorful paper lanterns that the local children make (though most lanterns these days are apparently made by children in China), which are lit with real candles and carried on poles. Other children are encouraged to shoot spit-wads at the lanterns to try to put out the candles or, better yet, light the paper on fire. The party started at 8:30pm, led by a bishop, and progressed as a parade through the streets and lasted until midnight. I believe the children have school the next morning. We had to miss the middle part of the parade to head to the Duomo for a small concert of sacred Baroque music. That was interesting, too, especially when the very quiet and delicate harp piece was totally overwhelmed by the passing parade. The Bishop should know better. Either way, I'm sure he knows now: he was at the concert!

The parade line-up at Santa Croce

Intermission with a small concert at the Duomo

The parade stopped at Piazza della Santissima Annunziata

We saw a priest buying some of these anise-flavoured Rificolona wafers. We figured he liked them because they resemble the Eucharist.

Kids trying to shoot out some high lanterns

A successful spit-wad

Last night the festivities continued at the river. Boats carried the lanterns and at the end of the night the most beautiful Rificolona was chosen. Not sure how they were judged--maybe number of holes?